Xu Gui drove to the highest point in the area, where Hope Primary School was located.
At this time, the primary school was already full of people. There were evacuated civilians, stationed troops, and still more people pouring in, dragging children, supporting the elders and the young, with others carrying bundles and holding washbasins filled with miscellaneous items clattering loudly, rain thundering, and voices bustling. Amid such commotion, a row of soldiers sat neatly on the corridor floor of the school building, leaning against the wall, sleeping and resting, all covered in mud.
The car stopped next to the school building, and Xu Gui let her get out of the car, "Just stay here, interview the troops and the evacuated people, and remember not to wander off."
"And you?" She stood on the steps of the school building, half her body exposed to the rain, hurriedly covered by a raincoat.
He also got out of the car, carrying his equipment, "I'm going to check the river."
She was stunned for a moment before realizing. Why should she listen to his orders? He wasn't her superior! "I..."
She had just opened her mouth when he turned back, "You can't come with me! Just stay here obediently! Don't cause me trouble!"
"..." How did he know what she was about to say? And so rudely too! How was she a trouble? However, he had already run off into the rain, leaving her no time to retort.
Soon, his figure disappeared amidst the rain and the crowd, the thronging people making her unstable, unable to look for him anymore.
Among the crowd, two people caught her attention.
These two were carrying what? A plastic basin as large as the largest size bath tub, piled high and tightly wrapped in several layers of plastic, appearing very heavy as two people in raincoats carried it here, yelling "Excuse us, please step aside", and then managed to get a spot at the foot of Tu Hengsha to place the large basin.
The two took off their raincoat hats, revealing they were two young people, the girl delicate and the boy tall and lean.
"What should we do? They are all asleep, let's not disturb them," said the girl.
The boy agreed.
Tu Hengsha then realized, the people they were looking at were the soldiers resting on the ground.
She showed her press ID, "May I ask if you are..."
The girl replied, "We are college students, came home for summer break. Facing the flood, we wanted to help but didn't know what to do. The troops have been working hard fighting the flood for several days, and tonight they still have to release water, so we prepared some food and water, but now they are sleeping…"
Actually, it was more resting with eyes closed than sleeping, occasionally someone would open their eyes then close them again, but no one reacted to the girl's words until someone walking up the corridor stumbled over a soldier's foot, almost fell, and was quickly helped up with an apology by the stepped-on soldier.
"It's okay, it's okay, you guys have been working hard," said the person.
However, there were murmurs, "Why are they all sitting here? Blocking the way!"
Tu Hengsha angrily looked for the source of the voice but couldn't find who had spoken! Where else could they be if not here? The entire town's population had been evacuated, the entire school building was packed, and every level's corridor was full of people! Did they expect them to stand in the rain on the playground?
Nevertheless, the murmuring was faint and few heard it, soon drowned out by other noises, but the little soldier who had just stood up certainly did hear it, his face showing constraint, and he didn't sit down again, standing against the wall, trying to occupy the least amount of space possible.